Ghost AEA vs JSB vs JSB Slugs Post Polishing

[Billm]

@Danman if you can get some, I highly recommend that you Try the AEA pellets. I just shot 3 groups of 10 pellets at 50yds. I aimed dead center with no adjustments or holdover. I made no changes from my current tune for the JSB 33.95s. The plan was to shoot ten shots AEA, 10 JSB and 10 JTS. But I couldn’t find any JTS so I shot 10 JSB KO slugs. The AEA group was affected by a strong crosswind, the first 4 shots were a string sliding left to right. I believe it would’ve been a .3” group otherwise. The 33.95 JSB just grouped a little looser. No surprise, the slugs kind of did their own thing, but probably would’ve done better with a little more velocity. Left to right:AEA, JSB, JSB KO. I’ll add the Chrono data when Garmin cloud updates.

 

[Pumacarl]

WOW! Those slugs shot terrible. All these guns shoot everything so different. You have to test everything, even for the same gun different barrel from the same line. So far every time I put AEA pellets up against JSB(older tins), the JSB have shot better. It will never get too boring I guess.

 

[Billm]

WOW! Those slugs shot terrible. All these guns shoot everything so different. You have to test everything, even for the same gun different barrel from the same line. So far every time I put AEA pellets up against JSB(older tins), the JSB have shot better. It will never get too boring I guess.

I really like the JSB mkII, but I only have a few of those left. I don’t remember those slugs shooting as badly as that previously, but the reg was probably higher. The slugs were wandering all over the place and so I’m assuming they were even close to being stable.

 

[Pumacarl]

@Billm, have you tried the MKII JSB? Most guns do prefer one over the other by about the same amount your group against the AEA is. The big concern is what if you are already shooting the preferred one, I know.

Edit: posted while you typed above

 

[Billm]

@Billm, have you tried the MKII JSB? Most guns do prefer one over the other by about the same amount your group against the AEA is. The big concern is what if you are already shooting the preferred one, I know.

Edit: posted while you typed above

My big concern is that I really don’t know for the most part what’s working “best”. I’ve shot so many different pellets and switched back and forth with poor documentation that I could be missing something lol. But, if I had nothing to experiment with, it wouldn’t be as much fun.

 

[Pumacarl]

I really like the JSB mkII, but I only have a few of those left. I don’t remember those slugs shooting as badly as that previously, but the reg was probably higher. The slugs were wandering all over the place and so I’m assuming they were even close to being stable.

Yeah, some slugs need more speed than others. The big thing to me is knowing whether the barrel is capable of the accuracy I'm looking for in the first place. Once I shoot a super group, with anything, then at least I know that the gun is capable of accuracy, just not with what I am trying at the moment. That makes a HUGE difference. It is always hanging over my head that maybe I am wasting my time on a truly bad barrel. I thought that at first with my Barra, but nope, just hadn't found the right one the first ten times. Your barrel is accurate, the search goes on.

 

[Pumacarl]

My big concern is that I really don’t know for the most part what’s working “best”. I’ve shot so many different pellets and switched back and forth with poor documentation that I could be missing something lol. But, if I had nothing to experiment with, it wouldn’t be as much fun.

You will know the best when you find it, like night and day, especially with all the shooting you do. When it happens, it so stands out. The best feeling in airgunning! Slugs, seem to me, to be much more on-or-off than pellets, worth doing though. Anyone that says that they are not worth it, is simply 'sour graping' it because they don't want to bother finding one that works, especially if they are shooting over 50y. I can not wait for the year that they allow slugs at the 100y benchrest matches, to settle the whole 'pellets are just as good or better' arguments. jmo

 

[Billm]

You will know the best when you find it, like night and day, especially with all the shooting you do. When it happens, it so stands out. The best feeling in airgunning! Slugs, seem to me, to be much more on-or-off than pellets, worth doing though. Anyone that says that they are not worth it, is simply 'sour graping' it because they don't want to bother finding one that works, especially if they are shooting over 50y. I can not wait for the year that they allow slugs at the 100y benchrest matches, to settle the whole 'pellets are just as good or better' arguments. jmo

I’m willing to try any of it. I just wish there was one stop shopping for ammo. It seems like I have to order from several different retailers to get the variety that I want, even though they carry the same brands. I have a lot of the JSB Exact King Heavy .25 because I wanted to reduce shipping costs etc.. They shoot good, but then I tried the MKII and prefer them. I’m so into this that I’ve considered buying a slug press. But, at $250-$500 per die set, it could get crazy expensive trying to find the right die for each caliber.
The whole 100yd benchrest rules thing is almost comical to me. They mostly require the use of a commercially available mass produced pellet. I’m assuming that is to keep the playing field even. But the same matches allow sponsored shooters to shoot with Sub-MOA barrels which most agree gives the shooter an advantage and they are by no means mass produced and available to the general public. That pellet rule is probably inhibiting the development of better slugs. If there was high level slug competition using everyday calibers the pellet manufacturers would be clamoring to develop more accurate slugs. I’m sure it doesn’t help with pellet development either. Just a thought.

 

[Pumacarl]

I’m willing to try any of it. I just wish there was one stop shopping for ammo. It seems like I have to order from several different retailers to get the variety that I want, even though they carry the same brands. I have a lot of the JSB Exact King Heavy .25 because I wanted to reduce shipping costs etc.. They shoot good, but then I tried the MKII and prefer them. I’m so into this that I’ve considered buying a slug press. But, at $250-$500 per die set, it could get crazy expensive trying to find the right die for each caliber.
The whole 100yd benchrest rules thing is almost comical to me. They mostly require the use of a commercially available mass produced pellet. I’m assuming that is to keep the playing field even. But the same matches allow sponsored shooters to shoot with Sub-MOA barrels which most agree gives the shooter an advantage and they are by no means mass produced and available to the general public. That pellet rule is probably inhibiting the development of better slugs. If there was high level slug competition using everyday calibers the pellet manufacturers would be clamoring to develop more accurate slugs. I’m sure it doesn’t help with pellet development either. Just a thought.

I agree 100% with everything you said! Spot on.

 

[Danman]

I’m willing to try any of it. I just wish there was one stop shopping for ammo. It seems like I have to order from several different retailers to get the variety that I want, even though they carry the same brands. I have a lot of the JSB Exact King Heavy .25 because I wanted to reduce shipping costs etc.. They shoot good, but then I tried the MKII and prefer them. I’m so into this that I’ve considered buying a slug press. But, at $250-$500 per die set, it could get crazy expensive trying to find the right die for each caliber.
The whole 100yd benchrest rules thing is almost comical to me. They mostly require the use of a commercially available mass produced pellet. I’m assuming that is to keep the playing field even. But the same matches allow sponsored shooters to shoot with Sub-MOA barrels which most agree gives the shooter an advantage and they are by no means mass produced and available to the general public. That pellet rule is probably inhibiting the development of better slugs. If there was high level slug competition using everyday calibers the pellet manufacturers would be clamoring to develop more accurate slugs. I’m sure it doesn’t help with pellet development either. Just a thought.

I definitely would blame the barrels, not the slugs or the ammo manufacturers, they are designed to shoot pellets still mostly. As for slugs & (I cant stress it enough) the stock slow twist 24in barreled Ghosts it is a 100% complete waste of time in .22 and .25cal (some have had luck with .30) You may get a good 3 shot group here or there, But you will NEVER be able to repeat it. Now I definitely want to find some AEA heavy .22 pellets!! I also wish I could get all my airgun ammo from one source for the year, but it's never happened. I'm finding I have about 4 dealers i get my ammo from, 3 in Canada and Pyramyd for the hard to find stuff here.